Movie tickets are crazy expensive here in 2012. In the past I feel like you could go to the movies at any time, not being a burden financially at all. But now, the food is extremely expensive as well as the ticket. Not even accounting for all the 3D or Imax specials there are. The ratio is definitely off.

I was just listening to a song from the 80's I grew up with - "Busta Move". In the lyrics somewhere he talks about taking a girl to a movies and he "Don't care less about the 5 you're blowin' "...

Given movie ticket prices now a days, hard to believe evening movies were once $5. That kind of dates that song - LOL. At least we still have a cheap theater where you can see a movie for $2.50/matinee or $3/evening prices. Also we have an AMC theater which is $5 matinee M-R, and $5 before noon F-N. At least those prices make it bearable to see movies in the theater.

Fun topic and interesting. Looks like it took many of us down old memory lane! I remember in the later 50s/early 60s going to the movies on Saturday (double feature and cartoons) for 25 cents. If I remember correctly we got 25 cents for snacks too. I can't remember the price of anything else, but do remember that those great big dill pickles served in a bag were 5 cents. Probably 10 or 15 cents for a hot dog and 5 cents for a drink. Amazing compared to the cost of a movie now!

Wow, if movies were still that cheap to see I'd definitely go more often. I rarely go to the movie theater anymore unless it's the dollar theater down the street. And even then it usually has to be something I really want to see.

I too remember being a child back then and going to the movies every Saturday morning for the Double feature. Usually Roy Rogers and Flash Gordon movies plus a cartoon. It was only .25 for which we as kids would scour the neighborhood to gather empty pop (soda) bottles, sell them back to the grocery store for .05 each and have enough money for the movies, candy and hotdogs. We spent pretty much the whole day at the movie theater for under $1.00 without having to ask our parents for a dime.

i think our local theater is like, $10 or $12 a piece.needless to say, we rarely go to the movies.i'm not even sure how theaters stay afloat these dayswith their prices. the $5 cup of pop is just comical...

I love statistics and I do find things amazing and sometimes frustrating how thing inflate over time. I remember a moment in my life when I was able to get double billing for under $2 and that was just twenty+ years ago (of course these particular theatres were also a little more run down). Movies as a form of entertainment is still cheaper than a lot of things, but nowadays I'm often debating whether to just wait until the movie is released as a purchase or rental.

It is funny because in the last year the movie ticket prices dropped to $4 for matinee. We also have a cheap theater that is between $1.50 to $2.50 per person depending on the time and day. I feel pretty lucky that I can afford to go more often.